Rescuing Sauteéd Zucchini - Cooks Illustrated

Published July 1, 2006.

This summertime staple cooks up soggy and bland in the skillet. Could we bail it out?

The Problem

Zucchini is the wettest vegetable in the garden (about 95 percent water). Whereas the intense dry heat of grilling is capable of evaporating lots of that water, a sauté in a pan on the stovetop isn't, and the result is usually soggy, watery-tasting zucchini.

The Goal

We wanted a sauté method that expelled extra water, leaving behind zucchini with concentrated flavor.

The Solution

The secret was to extract as much water as possible before the squash hit the pan. We combined two recommended methods: salting and draining as well as shredding and squeezing. We grated the zucchini with a box grater, tossed the shreds with salt, drained them in a colander, and wrung them out in a kitchen towel. We tossed the now-dry shreds with a little olive oil and added them to a hot nonstick skillet. After only minimal stirring, our zucchini was tender and lightly browned.

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